Chances Come Ney Mitch (most interesting books to read txt) 📖

Indeed, I could not account for it.

Noticing movement to my left, we turned, and we saw my sister approaching us.

And now, I had recalled what I had initially desired to speak with Mr. Darcy about.

“My sister comes back to us,” I whispered, “and I was remiss in talking to you of something most pressing.”

“You had more to say?”

“Yes.”

“I shall give us the time later.”

“Thank you for excusing me,” Jane said, “I have finished admiring all the improvements that our uncle has done.”

Chapter 4 Baring Our Souls

Once more, we were a trio.

“Well,” Mr. Darcy began, “while I know that my request is a sudden one and might be impertinent, but I feel it would be disrespectful to be here at your uncle’s factory and not pay a visit and at least greet him.”

Jane answered, smiling, “That would be delightful. I do believe that I can speak for our uncle and determine that he would be flattered by it. Do you not agree, Lizzy?”

“Yes,” I agreed, rashly. In my eagerness to voice the words, my tone had been hoarse, and I couldn’t abide it. So, I evened out my breathing and spoke more calmly. “Yes, he would be delighted for you to visit him.” We decided to enter. Yet as we did so, I leaned up to whisper in his ear. “I know that you do not look kindly on those who have a trade. But my uncle is respectable. I swear.”

“I know. Have faith in me now,” he spoke gently.

Mr. Darcy offered us both his arms. I placed my left arm in his right one, Jane took the other and we entered the factory.

We were greeted by our uncle’s clerk and then we were shown into his office. At first, my uncle was not there, but we were only left to wait for a minute before my uncle entered.

“Mr. Darcy,” my uncle smiled, “well, this is a most unexpected pleasure. Welcome to my factory.”

“The pleasure is mine, sir,” Mr. Darcy responded, “I have never entered a textile factory in my life, so this is indeed a new experience for me.”

“You do me a great honor, sir, in your coming. It is enough that you have been there to protect my niece, but to pay me a social call, well, I have not the words for it.”

“You owe me no gratitude for coming to Miss Elizabeth’s side when she required it of me. I did it for selfish reasons as much as it was selfless.”

“Selfish?” I grinned. “What selfishness could arise from protecting me?”

“For you to be come upon by a man such as Wickham would hurt my heart as much as it would harm your person,” he responded, “Therefore, in keeping you from harm, I have kept myself from it as well.”

I bit my lip, feeling my cheeks redden. Too overpowered, I looked down at the floor and became suddenly interested in the design of the floorboards.

“Very pretty response, sir,” Uncle Gardiner responded. “While I am certain that my humble place of work must appear but little to you, I still cannot help but ask. Would you be willing to receive a tour of the place?”

“Oh, please,” I supported this plan, “Mr. Darcy, seeing the machines and the textiles being arranged can make is so unique a thing. You actually will be impressed by it.”

“Miss Elizabeth says that I will be impressed by it,” Mr. Darcy observed, “therefore, I am willing to believe that I may be so. Lead the way, when you are prepared, sir.”

“With alacrity.”

At our Uncle’s side, Mr. Darcy began to walk around the factory, while Jane and I followed.

“I am surprised myself,” Jane said, “I knew that Mr. Darcy was not so bad as he was regarded to be. Yet, I am still amazed that he is expressing interest in our uncle’s profession.”

“I am just as surprised as you are. I cannot imagine what sparked this transformation in him.”

“Sometimes, we can enjoy the possibility, that in life, people can change.”

I looked at Jane and recalled all the things that Mr. Darcy had done to separate her from Mr. Bingley. I had not told her any of it…yet my resolve was set, and it always would be. I would never tell her what Mr. Darcy had done. For a split second, I told myself that it was for her own good. Yet, after some considerable deliberation, I had to accept the fact that it was not Jane I was protecting in that moment; I was protecting Mr. Darcy. My sister was finding him to be a better man than what he had been. She also viewed him as my savior and Mr. Darcy had her good opinion. Therefore, god forbid that I would ever take that away from her. Or from him.

“Yes,” I agreed, “your wisdom was more sufficient than mine. Sometimes, people can change.”

We continued to follow Mr. Darcy and my uncle around the factory.

When we entered the main rooms where the factory was most industrious, the workers most copious in number and the room filled with fluff, equipment, and machines, I saw Mr. Darcy’s eyes widen. He marveled under the spectacle that was industry.

Walking up to him, I touched his arm.

“Behold,” I whispered to him, “such a piece of work is man, so noble in reason.”

“So admirable,” he continued, reciting more of the poetry that I had begun, “In action, how like an angel.”

“There is beauty in being a person of profession sometimes,” I pointed out, “being people of leisure and inactivity is its own beauty. However, are we never to be allowed to love those who belong to this sort of life? I believe that we have that right. For how can such beauty be regarded as an evil?”

Mr. Darcy did not respond, for he was merely speechless. He only continued to look around.

When we finished touring, Mr. Darcy informed our uncle that he was going to return us to Cheapside, for we had not told his